Knock-down crib



L. E. MAY

KNOCK-DOWN CRIB Feb, 25, 3936.

Filed June 11, 1934 INVENTOR Jaw/2 w: fiMOJ/ 7PM TTORNEY Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to collapsible beds, and more particularly to a knock-down crib.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a crib, or child's bed, that can be transported from place to place in a knocked-down condition in a very compact bundle so that the same can be carried very much on the order in which a piece of luggage could be carried by a traveler. It is a purpose of my invention to provide a crib, or bed, of the above mentioned character that is so constructed that the same can be collapsed and made into a package that is very compact so that the same can be transported from place to place readily by carrying the same. It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide a knock-down crib, or bed, of the above mentioned character, that can be quickly set up and quickly taken down and packed up for moving it to another location.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a bed, or crib, of the above mentioned character that is so made that the same can be set up or taken down without the use of any tools, and which includes no small loose parts that could become readily lost and which makes use of no bolts or other screw threaded fastenings to set it up.

It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide a bed, or crib of the above mentioned character, that is so made that the parts thereof interfit, or interlock, in such a manner that the parts of the bed itself hold the same in position for use, said bed, preferably; comprising fabric side and end walls, which are held in an upstanding position when the bed is set up, certain of said walls serving as a binding means for securing the parts of the upper portion of the bed in assembled relation with the side and end walls in an upright position.

In order to provide a compact package when the bed is in collapsed, or folded, condition, the base portion, or bottom portion, of the bed is provided with side members that are hinged together in such a manner that when the parts are in one position the same will be in alignment with each other longitudinally of themselves, and when the same are in another position said portions of said side member will be arranged in laterally spaced substantially parallel relationship, whereby certain portions of the bed, particularly certain fabric portions thereof may be packed between the portions of said side members when in collapsed condition.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the 5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved collapsible crib in a partially erected condition, a side and an end, wall thereof being shown in a down position in full lines, and in an upright position in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a substantially central longitudinal vertical section of my improved bed, portions thereof being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the framework of the crib, a portion thereof being in section.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the framework of the crib, the same being taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the posts, a longitudinal top bar and a transverse top bar showing the same separated slightly from each other, but showing the same in the relationship to each other that these parts assume when assembled.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of one or the posts, and a bottom transverse member.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of an end portion of the folding base structure and a bottom transverse member.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one of the longitudinal top members in folded condition.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the entire crib in folded condition, and

Fig. 10 is a. perspective view of the crib in its carrying case.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my improved crib comprises a bottom portion provided with legs l I, which cross each other and are pivotally connected together in a well known manner so as to be adapted to be swung into a posi-- tion adjacent each other, or into an open position, such as that shown in Fig. 1. Each of the legs II is provided with a bracket I2 on which is pivoted a bar l3. The bars I 3 are connected together by means of a connecting member H, as will be clear from Fig. 2. The connecting member i4 is made up of three sections, the sections l5 being secured to the adjacent ends of the members [3 and the section I5 being hinged at IE to the members l5. Upon reference to Fig. 9 it will be seen that when the bed, or crib, is in its folded condition the leg members II will be arranged on the outside of the collapsed bed in folded condition and the members l3 will be arranged inside the members II, but spaced from each other by the connecting member l4.

A canvas. or other fabric, bottom is secured to the side members made up of the bars l3, the members I 4 serving to hold the members i3 in alignment when the bottom portion of the bed is set up, as shown in Fig. 1. The canvas, or fabric, bottom l1 may be either permanently or detachably secured to the members Hi. It is, however, unnecessary to remove the fabric bottom l1 from the members iii in order to collapse or set up the bed. the only reason for making the: canvas detachable, should this be desired, being for laundering purposes.

The bars i3 are provided on the ends thereof remote from each other, with projections or lugs, l8, which. enter openings IS in cross bars 20, which form a portion of the framework of the base or bottom portion of the crib, and which hold the canvas, or fabric, l1 in a stretched condition when in position. The transverse bars or frame members 20 are received in transverse pockets 2| provided in the fabric bottom l1, and

project outwardly beyond the fabric at opposite ends thereof. The members i3 are shown in Fig. 1 as also being in pockets 22. The fabric is, preferably, cut away at the corners of the bottom i1, as shown at 23, and adjacent the connecting members l4, as indicated at 24, so as to prevent the canvas, or other fabric, constituting the bottom i1, from interfering with the folding of the frame members of the bottom or base portion of the bed or crib.

The projecting ends of the members 20 are provided with openings 25 (see Fig. 6), which are adapted to receive pins 28 projecting downwardly from the comer posts 21, said pins fitting snugly, but not tightly, in the openings. The corner posts 21 are also provided with upwardly projecting pins 28 thereon (see Fig. 5), which enter openings 29 in the longitudinally extending top bars 30. The top bars 30 are made up of .a pair of members that are connected together at their adjoining ends by hinges 3i so as to permit folding thereof. One of said side longitudinal members is shown in folded condition in Fig. 8. Areatangular notch, or transverse groove, 32 is rabbeted in the top face of each end of the members 30 so that the opening 29 is located centrally of the recess thus formed. The top side bars, or longitudinally extending members, 30, are inserted in longitudinal pockets 33 sewed in the top or free edges of the fabric side wall forming members 34. The fabric side wall forming members 34 are secured in any desired manner to the under side of the canvas bottom member '1, thus forming'a lateral wing or extension thereof. This connection can be either permanent or a detachable one, as may be desired. The fabric of the wall 34 is, preferably, cut away at 35 and at 36 to facilitate folding of the side members l3.

The transversely extending end bars 31 are received in pockets 38 provided in the fabric end walls 39, said end walls 39 being secured to the under side of the fabric bottom l1, either detachably or permanently, as may be desired. The members 31'are provided with rectangular transverse recesses, or notches, 40, rabbeted in the under sides thereof, the same being of such size as to snugly receive the material of the member "30 therein, the notch 32 being of such size as to fismrgly receive the material of the member 31 therein, said members 31 and 30 fitting together gagement with each other. The canvas. or other fabric, end walls 33 form end extensions of the fabric bottom l1 and are made of such length relative to the length ofthe corner posts 21 that when the same are in upright position the canvas, or other fabric, of said end walls 33 will be stretched tight, clamping the transverse bars, or frame members, 31 down firmly on the members 30 in interlocking engagement therewith, and the members 30 down on the corner posts 21 in interlocking engagement therewith, and said corner posts 21 in interlocking engagement with the cross members 20.

The fabric side wall members 34 are also, preferably, of such size as to be stretched tight when the bars 30 are in position on the comer posts 21. The corner posts, longitudinal and transverse bars, and the fabric, so brace each other that when the bed is set up completely the corner posts will be held from any perceptible swaying motion, even if force is exerted thereon, and the side and end walls of the bed will be held in up standing relation relative to the bottom 11, the canvas end walls 39 and the transverse end bars I 31 serving to hold the entire bed in rigid set-up position.

If desired, tie members 4| may be provided on the side and end wall forming members adjacent the lower corner thereof, and these may be tied around and under the projecting ends of the members 20, being brought around on the outside of the corner posts 21 when so tied. When the crib is to be taken down the members 31 are first removed by pulling upwardly thereon, after which the members 30 and 21 and 20 can be detached from the base portion of the bed. The members 30 can be folded into the position shown in Fig. 8 when the same will be of substantially the same length as the members 21 and the members 20. The members 13 are folded as shown in Fig. 9, together with the legs I I, as previously explained, the spacing of the members i3 due to the members l4, providing a space for receiving the canvas, or other fabric, bottom l1, and the extensions 34 and 39 so that substantially all of the fabric of the bed will be confined between the leg members II. The bars 20 and 31, and the folded bars 30 take up very little room, the entire bed being capable of being folded into a compact rectangular package, which can be inserted in a fabric container, shown in Fig. 10, said fabric container being indicated by the numeral 42 and being adapted to be opened along the top edge thereof, sai openings being held closed by means of the straps 43, when the folded bed, or crib, is in position therein. Suitable handle members of fabric or leather, or other flexible material, such as the handle members 44, may be provided on the carrier for the bed.

It will be obvious that a. bed of this character can be readily transported from place to place and that it provides a safe, comfortable place for a small child to sleep. It can be carried in an automobile, or similar vehicle, as readily as any piece of hand baggage. There is nothing small used as a fastening element in the bed, which would have to be detached in the course of setting up or taking down the bed, and which could be readily lost. There is no adjusting or tightening of anything necessary in order that the bed he set up, as the normal stretch of the canvas will take care of the slight change in length that is necessary in order to pass the cross bars 31 with their reduced portions into position in the no ches 32, there being, of course, a reduced por tion 45 in the member 30, and a reduced portion 46 in the member 31 at the recesses in said members, each of theseereduced portions being substantially half the thickness of the members in which the same are provided. It will be noted that the portions of the members H are set in from the ends of the members 13 so that the adjacent ends of the members l3, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, will be in close proximity to each other so that there is no substantial space or crack left between the ends thereof when the bed is set up.

What I claim is:

l. A collapsible crib having a collapsible base portion, fabric bottom, side and end wall members carried by said base portion, corner posts detachably mounted on said base portion, said side and end wall members having pockets along the top edges thereof, longitudinal bars mounted on said corner posts and extending through the pockets in said side wall members, and trans verse bars mounted on said longitudinal bars so as to interlock therewith, said transverse bars extending through pockets in said end wall members and said end wall members being of such length as to be stretched tight when said transverse bars are mounted in interlocking relation on said longitudinal bars to hold said posts and bars in assembled relation.

2. A collapsible crib having a base portion, fabric bottom, side and end wall members carried by said base portion, corner posts detachably mounted on said base portion, longitudinal bars supporting said side wall members mounted on said corner posts and transverse bars mounted on said longitudinal bars so as to interlock therewith, said transverse bars supporting said end wall members and said end wall members being of such length as to be stretched tight when said transverse bars are mounted in interlocking relation on said longitudinal bars to hold said posts and bars in assembled relation.

3. A collapsible crib having a base portion provided with a frame having end bars provided with openings therein, corner posts having pins thereon received in said openings, upwardly projecting pins on said comer posts, top bars having openings therein receiving said upwardly pro Jecting pins and having recesses in the topifaces thereof, upper top bars having recessed portions interlocking with said first mentioned top bars and upstanding fabric walls secured to said base portion attheir lower ends and supported by said bars at their upper ends, the walls supported by said upper top bars being taut when said top bars are interlocked to hold said bars, posts and walls in operative position.

4. A collapsible crib having a base portion provided with a frame having end bars provided with openings therein, comer posts having pins thereon received in said openings, upwardly projecting pins on said corner posts, top bars having openings therein receiving said upwardly projecting pins and having recesses in the top faces thereof, upper top bars having recessed portions interlocking with said first mentioned top bars and upstanding fabric walls secured to said base portion at their lower ends and having pockets at the top edges thereof toreceive said bars to support said walls at their upper ends, the walls supported by said upper top bars being taut when said top bars are interlocked to hold said bars, posts and walls in operative position.

5. A collapsible crib having a collapsible base portion, fabric bottom, side and end wall members carried by said base portion, corner posts detachably mounted on said base portion, said side and end wall members having pockets along the top edges thereof, longitudinal bars mounted on said comer posts and extending through the pockets in said side wall members, said longitudinal bars comprising a pair of hingedly connected sections, and transverse bars mounted on said longitudinal bars so as to interlock therewith, said transverse bars extending through pockets in said end wall members and said end wall members being of such length as to be stretched tight when said transverse bars are mounted in interlocking relation on said longitudinal bars to hold said posts and bars in assembled relation.

6. A collapsible crib having a base portion, fabric bottom, side and end wall members carried by said base portion, corner posts detachably mounted on said base portion, longitudinal bars supporting said side wall members mounted on said corner posts and transverse bars mounted on said longitudinal bars so as to interlock therewith, said transverse bars supporting said end wall members and said end wall members being of such length as to be stretched tight, when said transverse bars are mounted in interlocking relation on said longitudinal bars to hold said posts and bars in assembled relation, said side and end wall members having means extending around a portion of said base for securing said wall members together.

7. A collapsible crib having a base portion provided with a frame having end bars provided with'openings therein, corner posts having pins thereon received in said openings, upwardly projecting pins on said corner posts, top bars having openings therein receiving said upwardly projecting pins and having recesses in the top faces thereof, upper top bars having recessed portions interlocking with the recessed portions of said first mentioned top bars and upstanding fabric walls secured to said base portion at their lower ends and supported by said bars at their upper ends, the walls supported by said upper top bars normally holding said upper top bars interlocked with said lower top bars and holding said lower top bars in position on the pins on said corner posts.

LAWRENCE E. MAY. 

